My name is Dennis Nordmark, soon to be 26y old, Swedish and a Global Management Trainee at SKF.

As you, the reader, probably already know at this point, we get to do and experience some really cool things. For example, now during my second, 6 month rotation out of three, I am the project manager (PM)for an implementation project for the factory that we have in Brazil.

Being young, “green”, ambitious and a first time project manager comes with it challenges! Especially in a new culture and with a language I do not speak, at least from the very start. Mistakes are absolutely inevitable so the only thing is to learn from them, QUICKLY. If I were to give my “two cents” to other project managers, especially new PM’s (based on my experience), it’s about STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT! Make sure you have a frequent and open communication with them so that all deliverables and expectations are aligned. It might sound like a simple thing to do, but it is easy to step on a landmine.

Not only experiencing a new work culture and project management, I’ve also experienced a national crisis! Some of you might remember when the price of crude oil went up; this escalated things very fast here in Brazil as all of the truck-drivers went on strike! You might think, “that’s not so bad”… Well for a country who relies on 99% of all their transports to be by truck, then it is pretty bad. I remember the morning of the strike when I was going to work and the line to the gas station was hundreds of meters long! I didn’t know about the strike at the time, so I sat straight up in the car seat with serious goosebumps thinking “Is this like the 1973 Oil Crisis? or is there a new war somewhere?”… Silly right? haha! This went on for about a week and a half; over 1billion chickens died due to starvation (no fodder), Military Hercules airplanes had to rush medicine to hospitals, no gas, food was getting low in the supermarkets, industries stopped due to lack of shop supply like grease & oil and much more. This was really new and fascinating to me because it would’ve never occured in Sweden, not to this magnitude. What a great experience!

Enough of this…

There is something more interesting that makes me really “tick” at work, more than anything else. This is also the biggest reason why I applied for this position and program.

So.. what is it?

Leadership

Discretionary advise: These are my own thoughts and you will dip your toes inside my head.

Leadership really gets me going and lights my fire. Leadership is something complicated yet very simple and logical; often a genuine interest to help and better the counterpart(s). As leadership is my number one interest in the work environment and not being a people-manager, I continuously ask myself: “How can I practice personal leadership and be the best leader for myself, and my peers, to help drive this project/daily work forward? And in return SKF”.

Number one, is to hold myself accountable to what I think, say and promise. Even though it is difficult to always act the way you preach, it is important to do your best to walk the talk accordingly to what your leadership philosophy is and recognize when you do not. Be true to yourself.

Number two, lead by example. Set a high standard for others to follow, don’t fall into an already set standard, try to improve it. Don’t be afraid to do the REALLY boring things, it pays off. Leading by example can also be in the very smallest of details; if you see a puddle of water that someone spilled in the hallway, go and grab a piece of paper and wipe it up. Some may say that this is also called discipline. If we can be disciplined in the small things like wiping up the a puddle of water from the floor, EVEN though there are cleaners working, this will reflect upon your behavior and set a tone to others. There is a great video about this same principal, but it is regarding making your own bed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6OoCaGsz94

Tough principles to live by, but we can at least start at one end of the rope.

Number three; believe in yourself, always! But be humble and empathetic. Listen to others as they often have some form of expertise.